Shloka 15
पितृणां देवतानां च मनुष्योरगरक्षसाम् । पुराप्येते महाभागा ब्राह्मणा वै जनाधिप,नरेश्वर! प्राचीनकालसे ही ये महाभाग ब्राह्मण-लोग देवता, पितर, मनुष्य, नाग और राक्षसोंके पूजनीय हैं
pitṝṇāṃ devatānāṃ ca manuṣyoragarakṣasām | purāpy ete mahābhāgā brāhmaṇā vai janādhipa naraśvara |
Bhishma said: “O lord of men, O king! From ancient times these illustrious Brahmins have indeed been worthy of reverence for the Pitṛs and the gods, and also for humans, nāgas, and rākṣasas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts the long-established dharmic principle that Brāhmaṇas, as custodians of Vedic learning and ritual, are to be honored universally—by gods, ancestors, humans, and even powerful non-human beings—highlighting reverence for spiritual authority and tradition.
Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira in this parva’s discourse) and emphasizes an ancient norm: Brāhmaṇas have always been regarded as venerable across all realms of beings, reinforcing the ethical duty of rulers and society to respect and protect them.